Anodizing is hard

ShelterGirl

ShelterGirl

Gold Member
Joined
Dec 23, 2023
Messages
155
Under 100$ science experiment, finally ended close enough to what I wanted. Don't look too close at the pivots, and I didn't feel like doing the tiny screws. Didn't realize how like, clean the parts have to be, and not sure if I'd do it again, first try didn't go so great.

20241006_214257.jpg
 
Last edited:
ShelterGirl said:
Struggled to get both scales to exactly the same color, the show side is a little bluer, and there's just some unevenness in the color (a lot on the underside) where I wasn't able to clean it perfectly and evenly.
Click to expand...
gotcha. looks good enough, to me.
 
Oh and the anodizing kinda....wore off of the backspacer? It looked pink in the bath but after rinse and at assembly just kinda looked like titanium. Well, not quite raw, but yea just some matching problems between parts
 
Looks cool to me. What was the voltage for that color? FWIW, I feel like I'm in over my head every mod I try, but even though it doesn't always turn out exactly how I envisioned, I'm always happy with the results. IMO, don't focus on perfection, just embrace the individuality of it. I'm to the point where I have to do something with every knife I buy, but that's how I am with everything I own.

For the small screws I find the process of heat/flame to be fun
 
Knives&Lint said:
Looks cool to me. What was the voltage for that color? FWIW, I feel like I'm in over my head every mod I try, but even though it doesn't always turn out exactly how I envisioned, I'm always happy with the results. IMO, don't focus on perfection, just embrace the individuality of it. I'm to the point where I have to do something with every knife I buy, but that's how I am with everything I own.

For the small screws I find the process of heat/flame to be fun
Click to expand...
So first time I used Amazon batteries, and I used 10 batteries on the show side and loved it, and by the time I needed to do the lock side the batteries were dead and putting all 12 in line would only get me to pale pink. Got some new energizer and 10 batteries got me a bit too far to green so I washed it and did 9 and that's what you see.

Yea I'm kinda at the point of enjoying the imperfections, and taking it apart and fiddling with it made me like this knife a lot more

Heat would be cool but I rent lol
 
ShelterGirl said:
So first time I used Amazon batteries, and I used 10 batteries on the show side and loved it, and by the time I needed to do the lock side the batteries were dead and putting all 12 in line would only get me to pale pink. Got some new energizer and 10 batteries got me a bit too far to green so I washed it and did 9 and that's what you see.

Yea I'm kinda at the point of enjoying the imperfections, and taking it apart and fiddling with it made me like this knife a lot more

Heat would be cool but I rent lol
Click to expand...

Ah, I see. I've always used a power source. If you accomplished that look with 9V's then I'd say that's downright impressive👍

I've actually done most of my flame ano for hardware on a gas stove, but if you rent and have electric I can see why that's a no-go
 
Knives&Lint said:
Ah, I see. I've always used a power source. If you accomplished that look with 9V's then I'd say that's downright impressive👍

I've actually done most of my flame ano for hardware on a gas stove, but if you rent and have electric I can see why that's a no-go
Click to expand...
Thanks! Yea the amazon one's were just kind of a waste of money, didn't line up with the chart even brand new. I think there was also some current problems, seemed to work better closer to the negative, and it seemed to like to have more water rather than less. I probably should've gotten a power source, but the energizers were a lot more consistent and lasted longer.

I honestly don't know the first thing about heat ano, I might try it I just am completely ignorant on it. I do have a gas stove though...
 
tiguy7 said:
A power supply can give uniform results as well as better color control. All I need now is to dig out my light tent.
Click to expand...

Whatsa light tent? How do you prep your surfaces and remove ano? I feel like that's where I really struggled, barkeepers friend worked okay removing ano on like the faces of the scales but the edges and any corners not so much.
 
I've never tried anodizing, but it looks like a great job for a first attempt to my uneducated eyes.
 
ShelterGirl said:
Whatsa light tent? How do you prep your surfaces and remove ano? I feel like that's where I really struggled, barkeepers friend worked okay removing ano on like the faces of the scales but the edges and any corners not so much.
Click to expand...

IMG_2454.pngIMG_6216.pngA light tent helps to take more uniform photographs. It also takes up a lot of space on the dining room table. The surface prep involves degreasing with a solvent before etching. The best etch is Whink, a nasty HydroFluoric Acid concoction that etches glass and removes old anodized coatings. Take all the precautions, wear all the protective gear, read and follow all the instructions.
 
tiguy7 said:
A light tent helps to take more uniform photographs. It also takes up a lot of space on the dining room table. The surface prep involves degreasing with a solvent before etching. The best etch is Whink, a nasty HydroFluoric Acid concoction that etches glass and removes old anodized coatings. Take all the precautions, wear all the protective gear, read and follow all the instructions.
Click to expand...
Yea, that stuff kinda spooks me to be honest. I have a lot of animals running around, I don't think I really want that stuff in the house.
 
The pros say that you should use Multi-Etch rather than Whink. I bought some but I haven't had time to try it out yet.
 
Looks good to me. But I usually heat anodize titanium, so there's going to be a really random effect from time to time.

tiguy7 said:
I never said use it in the house. Take it to the vacant lot.😁
Click to expand...
I usually pour all of my chemicals in my neighbor's garden and record the results. So far, they seem to have suffered no ill effects. The experiments will continue*.

*In Minecraft, of course.
 
Multi-Etch from Reactive Metals has long been the best product for pre-etching and removing anodizing, for some reason they no longer sell Multi-Etch and now have a new product called Liberty Etch that they say is just as good...I haven't tried it yet but they have never steered me wrong when it comes to anodizing.

Heat coloring is NOT anodizing, anodizing is a specific process involving electricity.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top